Definition

1. Noun:
   • A sharp, continuous sound like that made by the letter 's', or by air or steam escaping through a small opening. It is often used to express strong disapproval, scorn, or anger, especially by an audience.

Usage

• The word hissing is used to describe both a specific sound and the act of making that sound to show dislike.
• It is commonly associated with audiences at performances, snakes, leaking gases, and hot surfaces meeting liquids.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The loud hissing from the crowd forced the speaker to stop. (Describes the sound of disapproval.)
  • We could hear the hissing of the radiator. (Describes a mechanical/steam sound.)
  • The hissing of the snake warned us to stay back. (Describes an animal sound.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be met with hissing": to be greeted by sounds of disapproval.
  • The controversial proposal was met with hissing and booing.
• "a chorus of hissing": a widespread, collective sound of hissing from many people.
  • The villain's entrance was greeted by a chorus of hissing from the audience.

Variants and Related Words

• Hiss (verb/noun): The base form. (Verb: Noun: )
• Hissed (verb, past tense):

Synonyms

• Fizz: A hissing sound, often from bubbles in a liquid.
• Sizzle: A hissing sound, specifically from food cooking in fat.
• Boo: A sound of disapproval, but is a shorter, louder exclamation rather than a continuous hiss.
• Jeer: To shout insults or mock, which may include hissing sounds.

Related Phrases

• Hissing and booing: A common phrase describing a strongly negative audience reaction combining continuous hissing sounds with shorter boos.
  • The poor performance ended with hissing and booing.

Related Idioms

• To give someone/something the big hiss: (Informal, less common) To reject or show strong disapproval for someone or something.
  • The new policy got the big hiss from employees.

Noun

1. a fricative sound (especially as an expression of disapproval)
   • the performers could not be heard over the hissing of the audience